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Sunday, November 22, 2009

I am so happy that I am getting better at making up baking recipes, because they are so much harder! So my pregnant sister requested Sweet Potato Pie for Thanksgiving and I, of course, will oblige her. So here is my recipe for Sweet Potato Pie....you will NOT be dissapointed!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large mixer bowl, beat cooled peeled sweet potatoes with butter until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into cooled pie crust and bake 50-55 minutes until toothpick inserted into middle is dry. Cool and serve. I usually make this a day ahead

Combine all marinade ingredients and whisk. Place chicken and marinade into large ziploc bag and massage bag to assure that marinade covers the meat. Marinate for about 15 minutes, do not marinate too long, lime juice will start to cook (aka toughen) the chicken.

I love real creamed spinach from a steakhouse, but it's not exactly a health food. This recipe is a little better, because I make a roux with fat free milk and use a tiny bit of heavy cream....hope you like it!

Melt butter over medium heat in saucepan, add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add flour and whisk. Cook about 2 minutes until golden. Add milk and heavy cream, and whisk constantly so no lumps form. Cook on medium high until thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Add nutmeg, parmesan and salt. Stir until cheese is melted. Add drained thawed spinach and stir. Cook until heated through.

Monday, October 12, 2009

I was looking for a healthy Zucchini Bread...looked at a bunch of recipes and this is what I came up with. I am proud of myself, because I am not good at making up recipes for baked goods. This came out great. Was not too sweet, if you would like it sweeter, add 1/2 cup more brown sugar. I thought it came out great. Healthy, moist and tasty!

Pour into loaf pan until filled halfway. This will leave you with a little more batter. I made 5 muffins out of it. Place loaf and muffins in oven. Take muffins out after about 20-25 min (until a toothpick inserted comes out clean). Cook the bread for an additional 70-75 minutes. Until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan and then remove.

Not sure if this is authentic, there were so many different recipes. I put one together using what ingredients I thought were in it and that I liked. Adjust the amount of jalepeno if you do not like it spicy...I used 1 whole one, and it was pretty spicy.

Put all ingredients in food processor and blend until the consistency of pesto. Usually there are onions in this, I forgot to buy them, so I left them out...if you want to use them, I would use 2 small or 1 large shallot.

This was a Wegman's recipe...I almost followed it to a "T" but I had to make some changes ( ;It was really delish! Great fall recipe...and before you say, "I dont like escarole." Neither do I, but it was great in this recipe...I am publishing this just as it was written (with my additions in parenthesis). It uses pre-prepped veggies and stuff...you will have to improvise if you do not have Wegman's near you.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.1. Toss Squash and onions with basting oil ( I needed a little more than 1 Tbsp) in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in single layer on baking sheet. Roast 20 min (took me more like 35-40 min). Until vegetables are carmelized and tender. Stir frequently.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

I love shellfish and I was cooking a different Shellfish recipe every Sunday...I have not done that in a couple of weeks...so I was craving some scallops and here we have it....a slightly healthier version of a creamy sauce...

Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water. While pasta is cooking...melt butter over med heat and add garlic, saute about a minute and add flour. Whisk to make a roux and cook until golden and no longer smelling like flour. Add vermouth and whisk until combined. Add heavy cream and milk slowly and whisk until smooth...continue to cook until thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Add dash nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Add red pepper flakes (if desired...I think it gives a nice little kick!). Toss sauce with pasta and set aside with lid on to keep warm.

Heat oil over high heat...season scallops with salt and pepper. Once ready place scallops in pan and DO NOT MOVE THEM! Or you wont get a nice sear. Cook for approx 2 minutes and flip over with tongs. Cook another minute or so until just done, do not overcook. Turn off heat and add butter and allow to melt and toss with scallops. Squeeze lemon juice over top. Plate fettucine and sauce and top with scallops and additional parmesan if wanted....Enjoy!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Here is what I did with the beautiful zucchini and yellow squash I bought:

I do not have a recipe for it...but basically I sliced 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash into half moons and roasted with olive oil, sea salt and garlic paste in a 475 oven for 20 minutes or so...then adding about 1/2 a cup of heavy cream and roasting for another 10 min until the cream thickens and gets bubbly...broil if you want for a few minutes...then add fresh chiffonade of basil.

I went to a great farmer's market in West End on Thursday and I am now starting another theme night....Farmer's Market Thursdays! I was so inspired by the beautiful vegetables that I bought that I made a whole meal based around them...and that is what I will do every Thursday.

That being said, I bought some lovely Poblano Peppers, and I love Chile Rellenos....but they are not good for the old waistline...so I found a baked version online and tweaked it...cannot remember the source, but it was this british guy who did the recipe via a video. Instead of just cheese I stuffed the Poblanos with my black beans ole (recipe link below) and a small bit of low fat cheddar...the egg white mixture when baked forms a crust, and adds more protein. That combined with the black beans makes for a healthy and filling meal.Baked Chile Rellenos

1. Roast Chiles in the oven under the broiler, set to high about 1-2 inches from the heat source, turning to char all sides...remove once entire pepper is charred and blistered. Place chiles (use tongs) in a paper bag and close. Allow to sweat 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. While peppers are resting, start preparation of the black beans ole.

2. Peel outer burnt skin from chiles under running water. Make a 2-3 inch lengthwise slit in peppers (be careful not to cut all the way through...you just want an opening to stuff the peppers with. Open gently (I cannot stress this enough). Remove seeds and place about 1-2 Tbsp of cooled black beans ole in each pepper. Place cheese inside and close with wooden toothpicks or skewars. Dust chiles with flour. Beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in slightly beaten egg yolks and fold in melted butter (make sure it is not still hot or it will cook the eggs).3. Spoon a coating of batter on bottom of greased glass pie plate or baking dish. Place stuffed chiles on batter. Spoon remaining batter over top of chiles. Sprinkle cheese on top and top with crushed doritos. Bake @ 375 degrees 17-20 minutes, until browned and eggs are set...broil if necessary. Serve with cilantro lime cream sauce.

Friday, August 7, 2009

These are like pimped out steamers...I used Little Necks, because that is what I like, but I like them a little more flavorful than just steamed in water...you can reserve the leftover broth (there is quite a bit) for a stock for clam chowder or like I did make it into a pasta sauce the next day.

1/2 hour before cooking mix kosher salt, cornmeal and cold water to fill a very large bowl. Place the clams in gently and put back in fridge (this will get all the sand out). Then scrub the clams under cold running water with a stiff brush and place in another bowl and back in the fridge until ready to use.

Bring liquid to a boil and then cover tightly and lower heat so it is gently simmering. You will let them steam til all clams open (took me about 11 minutes). Discard any clams that did not open once most of them have. Sprinkle fresh parsley over top of clams.

To serve: Place clams in a bowl and ladle broth over top. Serve with some warm crusty sourdough to sop up the broth after...Squeese lemon juice over top and voila!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

So this recipe is lifted from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)....almost verbatim.. you know me...I cant just make a recipe the way it is specified. I used my own homemade strawberry jam instead of the raspberry that she used. The jam is embarrassingly easy...the recipe is in any package of pectin...strawberry freezer jam...the worst part is the chopping of the fruit. It is soooo worth it! They taste like a grown up version of the kiddie favorite!

Grease a 9 X 13 in pan ( I just used non stick aluminum foil...worked great!)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on med. speed until light and yellow, about 2 min. With the mixer on low, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingr. are combined.

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Wiht the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture, mix until combined.

Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or spatula. Spread the jam evenly over hte dough. Drop small globs of remaining dough evenly over the jam. Sprinkle wiht chopped peanuts, and bake for 45-50 min, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Monday, June 29, 2009

I love fresh salsa, but I always thought it was so much work, it's not and it is soooo worth any little bit of effort it takes: *(warning....spicy, if you dont like it spicy, decrease Jalepeno to a half or remove the seeds)

Peel and seed tomatoes (bring salted water to a boil and make an x in the top of the tomato...just barely piercing the skin...drop the tomatoes into the water and boil for about 30 sec until skin starts coming off...immediately drain and put into a bowl of ice cubes and water to cool for a few seconds....peel off skin, it should come off like a jacket...cut in half and squeeze seeds out with fingers, discard seeds).

In food processor, add garlic, cilantro, shallots, and jalepeno, pulse until chopped into fine pieces. Scrape down bowl and add remaining ingredients except salt and process until desired consistency. Season with salt to taste

1. pour crabmeat into strainer and pick out any shells/cartilage if needed (the costco one had none)2. Combine crabmeat, scallions, salt, pepper,cayenne, jalepeno in a large bowl...careful not to break up the crabmeat too much3. In another bowl, combine mayo, lemon juice, lemon zest, worcestershire sauce, garlic, mustard, hot sauce, whisk together until combined4. Mix the two bowls together into the larger one (gently) and then gently fold in the breadcrumbs.5. Form into patties (mine made about 9). and refrigerate for at least two hours.6. Heat oil in skillet on med. I brushed the crabcakes with a little melted garlic butter (but this step is optional) and then dredge lightly in flour. Cook in oil about 5 minutes per side (can turn up to med high if not browning enough. Serve withHorseradish sauce: (amounts approximate)1/2 C sour cream1-2 Tbsp horseradish1/4 tsp dijon mustardsalt and pepperSrachi chili sauce to taste (very spicy)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat dish with cooking spray. Mix egg beaters and dijon mustard together in one bowl and ground fiber one, spices and cheese in another bowl. Coat chicken in egg mixture and then in breading mixture. Put in cooking dish and spray with cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes and turn and spray with cooking spray and cook another 10-15 minutes, until no longer pink inside.

Melt butter over med heat and add garlic. Saute 1 minute (do not brown). Add thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg and stir another minute. Add stock, sweet potatoes, bay leaves, brown sugar. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer over med to med high heat for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Take out Bay Leaves and puree with Immersion Blender. Add cream and half and half. Add sherry and adjust seasonings if necessary. I toasted some pumpkin seeds and garnished with them.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

So I had my family over for brunch, and for my father in law (who loves key lime pie) I made Key Lime Trifle....also a co worker just bought me a trifle dish. It is a time consuming recipe, but sooo worth it!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan. Mix flour and baking powder. Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in flour and milk (alternating). Mix just until incorporated. Add lime juice and lime zest and vanilla. Pour into pan and bake for about 90 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. allow to cool 10 minutes. Turn into wire rack. Once cooled, cut into cubes